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Should you Adopt a Dog?

Pet adoption, just like regular human adoption, can be an extremely rewarding experience. It is an opportunity for someone seeking a new family member to help someone who desperately needs a family - whether that someone is 2-legged or 4-legged. There are many benefits to adopting your next dog, rather than purchasing a dog from a breeder or regular pet store. There are also many things to consider prior to taking that big step:

Prior to choosing to adopt a pet, consider whether you would have the time or dedication needed to train or retrain your new pet in order to make him/her more comfortable in your home or yard. Some pets available for adoption may have bad habits and will need to get this worked out of them. Some of them may develop anxiety issues as well because he/she has lost everything he/she has known and now has to adjust to an all new world. This can leave him/her feeling alone, lost, scared, and uncomfortable. You will need to take the time to help him/her feel at home, loved, cherished, and treated with consideration. Treats, toys, a comfy bed, and chew toys are going to be needed to help your new family member get used to the world.

If you feel that you can indeed take on this responsibility, then its time to consider the benefits of an adopted pet over a purchased pet from a breeder or pet store. Adopted pets are often required to be spayed or neutered prior to being adopted and will be up to date on all of his/her vaccinations. They also have a full health vet check completed prior to allowing you to leave. All of this is usually included in your adoption fee - making the overall cost of your new dog much cheaper than it might normally be otherwise.

You also get the satisfaction of giving a home to someone who wouldn’t have one otherwise. Puppies are cute and can almost always find a good home, but animals available for adoption don’t always have that promise of a good future home waiting for them. You are doing a good thing by giving one of these animals a permanent home where he/she can be loved and feel like part of a family once more.

Next you will need to locate a place where you can adopt a dog. There are usually three main places for animal adoptions - open access shelters, humane societies, and foster groups.

Foster groups work as “foster parents” for pets that don’t have a home. They provide temporary placement for pets while seeking new families for them, providing them with a comforting, “homey” place to live before their new family finally finds them.

Humane societies are considered private facilities and usually run off donations or contributions. The adoption fees they charge go to the caretaking of the animals and the running of the shelter, but it is usually a minimum fee. They tend to be open during certain hours but are available to the public in general. Contact your local human society to find out their policies and adoption fees.

Open access shelters are considered on the lower end of these types of facilities. They take in all stray animals and are run by a county or city. Many of these shelters have euthanization policies and will euthanize dogs if they cannot find homes for them. This is usually where animal control will take animals they find as well, and sometimes they end up with excellent animals who may have been abandoned, neglected, abused, or left behind. It can be quite heartbreaking to visit these facilities, but you will do a LOT of good by giving one of these animals a home.

Even the sweetest of dogs, however, have the potential to bite. The best way to avoid dog bites is through careful behavior. As sweet and cute as it may be to have your puppy lick your face, don’t let him/her do it! This breeds bad behavior. Dogs may easily confuse signals and think that he/she can play with you like he/she plays with other dogs. Dogs frequently bite each other in many places, including their faces. Your dog needs to understand that your face is completely off-limits. To do this, you may need to knock him/her away from your face whenever he/she tries to get too close. Don’t be afraid to push him/her away, smack him/her on the nose, and raise your voice. You do not want this bad habit!

Also, make it clear to your dog that playing with you is NOT like playing with other dogs. If he/she even attempts to bite your hand, even playfully, smack the dog on the nose and give him/her a sharp reprimand. Do NOT let him/her bite you, even playfully. This breeds bad behavior and may lead the dog to think that it is OK to bite you.

However, dogs may bite when afraid, anxious, or startled. You can avoid startling your dog by letting him/her know that you are approaching - announcing your presence verbally whenever possible. If your dog displays signs of fear or anger such as his/her hackles standing on end, tail tucked between his/her leg, growling with teeth showing, ears laid flat to the head, whites of eyes showing predominately, or other fearful/angry behavior, do not approach directly! Stay back and talk soothingly to the dog. Let him/her hear the comforting sound of your voice. Keep your voice low (not loud) and change your posture to avoid appearing as a threat to the dog.

Do not reach out with a hand! If talking gently to the dog does not help, give the dog some distance. Back away and wait the dog out. Eventually, he/she should realize you are not a threat and approach you. However, if this does not change, you may have a serious threat. Your dog could be injured, sick, or even have the dreaded rabies disease.  Something is probably wrong.

If you can see an injury on the dog, call a veterinarian to see what the best course of action might be. If you see foam around the dog’s mouth, call animal control! If there does not appear to be any injuries and the dog’s behavior still won’t change, you may want to contact your local veterinarian to see if they have a recommended course of action.

Another thing to avoid with dogs in order to be avoid dog bites is to keep young children away from your dog as much as possible - and never leave a young child and dog alone without supervision. Even the most tame and docile of dogs can react horribly to a child’s cries, pokes, prods, or general clumsiness. Kids do not know that a dog does not want his/her tail pulled and this can provoke a bite from the dog very quickly. Too often, people assume their typically docile dog would never hurt a child, only to experience the tragedy of their dog snapping at a child and injuring the child. Don’t let this happen to you, your dog, and your loved ones.

Dogs may also bite other dogs or animals, especially on first contact with that other dog or animal. The dog is doing one of several things: establishing dominance, injuring prey, or trying to “play” but not knowing his/her own strength. A dog may think your cat is a superb play toy - but your cat may not agree at all! As your cat tries to run away, the dog thinks this is either further play or the behavior of prey and could easily damage and hurt the cat in his/her attempt to keep “playing.” The cat can also damage the dog if he/she has any claws and is willing to use them. Too many dogs have scars on their noses from just that situation!

Bigger dogs are likely to pick on smaller dogs, as this is what would happen in the wild for such animals. In the wild, dogs are pack animals and the pack survives because the pack works as a team against others. The pack play fights together to practice their skills for real fights against prey and other predators. Weak, sick, or deformed dogs are not going to last long in the wild and will slow the pack down. Dogs are more likely to kill, damage, or abandon the weaker pack members if the weaker members cannot keep up. This is why your dog may not be safe around smaller, weaker dogs.

Adopting a pet can be a wonderfully rewarding experience, but you have to take it seriously. Think about your home - is it going to be big enough for your new family member? Will he/she have a safe area outside to romp and play and chase the butterflies?

If you feel you can handle a new pet, give it what it needs for a healthy life, and provide the love and nurturing environment the dog will need, then adoption may be the way for you! Good luck finding that new family member!

Supplies for Your New Puppies

Your new puppy is going to need supplies! Taking on a puppy is a big responsibility and you need to be sure to have the right equipment to handle it. When you get your first puppy, don’t forget to get your puppy the following items:

1. Food and water dish. The first thing that puppy is going to want when he/she gets to your house is water! After that, probably food. Feeding and watering your puppy are going to become high priorities are your daily to do list. Make sure you check on them frequently.
2. A crate or soft bed. Your little puppy is going to need somewhere to sleep at night - somewhere where the puppy can feel safe, comfortable, and at home. Your puppy will quickly accept this new place as his/her very own home and seek it during times of high stress or when he/she gets tired.
3. Tick and flea products. Not all climates have fleas and ticks. If you are at a higher elevation, fleas cannot survive in your local neighborhood, but ticks are still possible. However, most climates will have fleas. To protect your puppy from these little parasites, try drops and/or a flea/tick collar. The collars are very useful if your puppy is going to live outside a lot.
4. A travel cage or pet carrier. It is best to have a special item in which to carry your puppy. Remember that he/she is going to need several vet visits over the next few months and it is better to have your puppy in a carrier when driving to and from the vet as well as while sitting in the vet - having your young puppy on a leash and not in a carrier increases his/her risk of illness and/or injury through encounters with strange other animals. As your puppy gets older and builds up a stronger immune system, this is not as big of a worry.
5. Dog bath products (shampoo), toe nail clippers, and a brush. This will allow you to keep your puppy looking and smelling his/her best every day. Be careful when you clip a dog’s nails. You do not want to cut too deeply or close to the “quick” as this will cause the dog to bleed. Puppies with thicker hair will need more frequent brushing than shorter hair dogs.
6. CHEW TOYS!!!! Your puppy NEEDS to chew things! He/she just can’t help it. There is nothing your puppy can do to stop his/her own instinctual need to grab on to something with both jaws and just chew at it. Part of this is because your puppy is going to shed puppy teeth and grow into his/her adult teeth. Make sure you get things that are particularly good for chewing - it’s good for the teeth and it’s good for your shoes!
7. Toys and treats. Toys such as rubber balls, rubber bones, rope toys, stuffed animals, and other toys will keep your puppy happy! The puppy will get a chance to really play, satisfying his/her need to socialize, play, and practice his/her instinctive need to pounce, chase, attack, chew, and tug. Treats can be used as rewards for good behavior. When your puppy sits properly at the command “Sit,” give him/her a treat. You’ll give more treats out during the early parts of training, and less later on as the puppy starts to learn better. It makes the treats just that much more of a reward of the puppy has to really do something good in order to get them. However, don’t feel adverse to just rewarding your puppy now and again… just because he/she was oh so cute just now. Treats are a much better item for your puppy than table scraps - don’t let him/her get into THAT bad habit!

Puppy Chow Recipe - but it’s not for puppies!

A great snack for kids of all ages! Let your kids bond with their puppy by eating like their puppy (only this is safer!):

• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup butter
• 8 cups Crispix cereal
• 2 cups powdered sugar

1. Place all of the good, sweet treats into a microwave safe bowl - that is, your chocolate chips, peanut butter, and regular butter.
2. Place the bowl in the microwave and run it for 1 minute only (watch out, it could grow very quickly.
3. Stir all of this mixed goodness together to try to mix everything all together. In case some things didn’t melt properly, you can microwave it again for 15 or 20 seconds at most, and you want to get the mixture all well mixed and very smooth.
4. Add the vanilla and stir the mixture together once more.
5. Get a second bowl and pour the Chex cereal in there.
6. Take your thick, gooey mixture and pour it over the Chex cereal.
7. Carefully stir it together. It will be very thick so just try your best. Make sure the gooey mixture has completely coated all sides of the Chex cereal pieces.
8. Take a plastic bag and poor the powdered sugar in it. Pour your chocolatey, peanut buttery Chex cereal bits into the bag. Shake it up to thoroughly cover the Chex cereal in the powdered sugar.
9. Serve and enjoy!

So, How Big Will My Puppy Get?

Whenever you consider getting a puppy, remember that he or she is going to grow up!!! Despite being cute, adorable, and SMALL, your future dog will be much larger. You need to adequately prepare for that - if you are going to have a big dog, you really need a yard for him/her to play in and he/she is not likely to be an acceptable apartment dog. However, if you are looking for a guard dog, protector dog, or a dog you can take long walks with, a small dog just won’t cut it. Small dogs are small and their legs have to pump much harder during long walks - tiring them out much earlier than a larger dog.

One of the primary indicators of a puppy’s eventual future size is his or her parents. By seeing both his/her dam and sire, you can get a good understanding of how big your puppy will he/she grows up. The parents size is a strong indicator of eventual size - but not all puppies will follow in their parents footsteps.

Another indicator of eventual future size is the breed of the animal. Typically, chihuahuas are going to be a particular size (and a toy chihuahua will be every smaller!). This helps you to know that if you are buying a chihuahua, your puppy is likely to fall within a particular size range.

However, you will run into trouble when trying to identify mixed breeds. I once had an Alaskan Malamute with accidentally encountered a small male dog. We never saw the small male dog, but the puppies produced by the Alaskan Malamute had the perfect beautiful markings of their mom, but were short, squat, and heavy set. Several had their dam’s long hair, but others had very short hair. This is a perfect example of how mixed breed dogs can end up with a variety of odd features that were not present in one or the other parent. However, it is typical that the puppies will take after the size of the dam and not of the sire.

If you are lacking some of this key information, you can try looking at the paw size. Bigger paws will mean a larger future puppy. Nature does not allow for misshaping like a tiny dog with huge feet (note that chihuahuas have teeny, tiny feet).

It is said as well that if you weigh your puppy at approximately 14 weeks of age, then you can determine the puppy’s future weight by doubling that weight. This is one possible option in determining your puppy’s future weight.

An even further method of trying to figure out your puppy’s future weight is through checking your puppy’s “loose skin.” I  know this sounds odd but puppy’s have to grow into their skin and their skin often grows faster than their body. This will not work for certain breeds of puppy which naturally have very loose skin!

A very interesting and scientific way of figuring out your puppy’s future weight is by predicting the eventual size of the puppy through projection. Since puppies reach their full eight at about 8-11 months of age and their adult body weight a few months later, its a pretty fair estimate to say that a puppy is approximately 3/4th of its eventual height by the time it has reached 6 months.

Puppy Zodiac Signs and Horoscopes

Puppies, just like humans, have horoscopes too! Based on the birth date of your puppy, your puppy may have a widely different personality than you might expect! Puppy zodiac signs fall along the same lines as those for humans and the personality traits are also very similar. However, it may help you to understand and recognize your puppy’s sign so that you will know how to deal with your puppy’s mood swings and idiosyncrasies. You can find your puppy’s zodiac signs in the chart below:

• Aries
  • Aries puppies tend to like ALL of your attention, irregardless of what you are doing at the time or what you want to do. Aries puppies need you to focus your whole world down to them, ignoring all other items in your life. They are the first puppy to dive for the food bowl. Your puppy wants you to center your attention on him or her. Take him/her for walks, give him/her extra attention, and make sure you play with him/her frequently.
• Taurus
  • Taurus puppies are extremely stubborn - just like their human counterparts!! They can be some of the most difficult puppies to train because they easily get stuck in bad habits and don’t want to change. They may also take a longer time to housebreak as well. Once they learn and the training sticks, they won’t reverse on the training, but getting them through it can be difficult. You need to be very patient with these puppies, but it is well worth it in the end.
• Gemini
  • Gemini puppies have so much energy to spare!! They are excessively charming and energetic, bouncing off the walls at times. It can be hard to keep them under control because they just can’t seem to sit still. Even when these puppies do something bad, it’s extremely difficult to yell at them with their oh so sorrowful little eyes and adorably charming drooped tail. Be firm with them, despite their cuteness, or they will learn to walk all over you.
• Cancer
  • Cancer puppies have a horrible issue of neediness. They just don’t want to be without you. These puppies frequently whine when they cannot see you nearby or when left alone. They may resort to chewing on stuff out of their own obsessive anxiety for attention. Whenever you are gone for periods of time, the puppy will be so excited to see you that he or she may even pee on him/herself in both excitement and anxiety. The entire time you were away, this puppy probably thought you were never coming home. Provide them with some kind of distraction or plaything to keep them from worrying about you when you are gone. If you have to leave them alone at night, try to give them something that smells of you to help them deal with your absence.
• Leo
  • Leo puppies are fearless to a fault! They are not scared of anything! They will charge after much larger dogs, bold and fearless. They tend to get into trouble because they will venture places that other puppies might avoid due to natural skiddishness. These puppies are likely to dig their way out of a kennel or under a fence, get into your garden, or sneak into any place where you just did not want the puppy to go. Keep a close eye on them and be aware of where this puppy is at all times.
• Virgo
  • Virgo puppies are overtly adoring and loving. They can’t seem to help it. They want to be in your lap at all times. They want to curl up with you, nuzzle their head into your hand, and let you love them. This puppy benefits from special treatment - a soft puppy bed, cute little stuffed animals, treats, and love and affection. Some Virgo puppies will even enjoy dressing up!
• Libra
  • Libra puppies have a tendency to be very gentle. They love other creatures - this may make you nervous at first of course, but it becomes extremely adorable. Your new puppy may fall in love with your cat (despite what he/she might think of this bundle of fur and legs running after them). They spend a great deal of time finding things around the house to sit and watch. They also tend to get left out because they aren’t pushy and don’t try for attention as much as other animals in your household might. This may cause them to get left out of treats or food because they won’t force their way past the other animals. Make sure to notice them and give them the love and attention they so deserve.
• Scorpio
  • Scorpio puppies are extremely robust, healthy, and energetic. Oddly, this puppy will shake off illnesses easily - although be extra careful with this! The puppy may not let you know that he/she is not feeling good because the puppy does not want to feel bad. They are not likely to stay ill, but it will be difficult for you as the owner who wants to take care of your puppy. If something serious were to happen with this puppy, he/she may disguise it and try to pretend that they are ok. If they do start to act ill, get he/she to a vet immediately because it must be something serious.
• Sagittarius
  • Sagittarius puppies can entertain you for hours! They can entertain themselves for hours without any outside influence. They can take an ordinary item and turn it into a play thing. If you want to see them go at it, toss a blanket over the puppy’s head. He/she will fight his/her way out of the blanket, but have fun the whole way out. This puppy loves to explore too. He/she may end up in places where you least expect so keep an eye on him/her.
• Capricorn
  • Capricorn puppies are probably the easiest type of puppy to care for. He/she is easy to train, listens with ease, obeys what you tell him/her, and just generally enjoys life. They tend to entertain themselves and are fairly self-sufficient.
• Aquarius
  • Similar to Ares puppies, Aquarius puppies are attention seekers. They want you to want them around you all the time. They want to be in the same room with you, doing the same thing with you, from morning to night. They love walks and going on adventures with you and frequently will try to catch your attention when you are otherwise distracted.
• Pisces
  • Pisces puppies are fun puppies to be around, but they are not the most reliable dog. They don’t take house training well - sometimes, he/she may seem to understand the training you have worked on with him/her, but other times, he/she seems to completely forget everything. You might think you have this puppy trained in sitting, staying, and heeling, but a week later, the puppy completely ignores all of the commands. Give him/her things to play with so that he/she doesn’t decide to use your shoes or other household items.

Puppy Night-time Whining

Puppies have spent all of their known life with their littermates and mommies. This means they just aren’t used to being alone.

Puppies will naturally whimper and whine when left alone - whether at night or during any time when you just aren’t there. They can get frightened or nervous when alone, unsure if a predator is going to come get them or where their family has gone. You are going to have to deal with this if your puppy is going to be alone at night. Don’t baby the puppy to sleep - be soothing and comforting, but don’t coddle the poor thing. He/she is going to have to learn to sleep alone.

Try to make the puppy more comfortable. Provide a clean t-shirt for the puppy to lay with, as this will allow the puppy to feel like you are near by. If you can, move the puppy somewhere closer to you where he/she can smell and/or hear you. If the puppy whines at you, tap on the cage and tell the puppy No and to be quiet or sleep. You do not want to reinforce this bad behavior.

Some people like to use similar methods as are used with babies. There are teddy bears you can purchase that make the sounds a baby would hear when inside his/her mommy’s tummy. This has shown to be successful with dogs as well as with babies. A clock or radio can also provide soothing noises.

Old Family meets New Puppy

Bringing a new puppy into your old family is going to have a few problems. Older cats and dogs aren’t going to like it - and why should they? You have now committed to sharing your love - if not completely devoting the next year to raising the new puppy.

Cats will often react with hissing, hair standing on end and the desire to attack the new puppy. This will or should frighten your puppy. He/she may react by shivering, whimpering, or crying, unsure of why this new creature just doesn’t seem to love him/her just like everyone else seems to.

Introduce them slowly. A good idea is to rub a towel on your new puppy to get the scent of the puppy on the towel. Lay the towel somewhere in the house (preferably on tile) where your cat will encounter it. Your cat or dog will get the opportunity to smell your puppy without having to see your puppy, which will help. Make sure the puppy sees a vet prior to actual encounters with the other pet as well to reduce the risk of spreading illnesses.

Put your puppy somewhere where the other animals will not be able to directly encounter the puppy, such as in a crate or in a room with a door. The other animals can smell the puppy, see the puppy, but not touch the puppy. Slowly introduce the puppy to the animals over time, at least a few days to a week after the puppy has come home. Stay close and separate the animals if needed as soon as possible. If it is just growling or paw raising, don’t interfere unless you feel the puppy is in very real danger.

Until the old and new family have become more comfortable with one another, don’t leave them alone together without sufficient protection for the puppy. Over time, they will adjust to one another and can learn to live happily - it just takes time and positive reinforcement.

Learn the Puppy Stages of Development

Puppies, just like children, will go through various development stages.

Stage 1 is one that you probably won’t see unless you are breeding puppies yourself. This is traditionally called the transitional stage of 2 to 3 weeks of age. Puppies start to realize what is going on in the world around them. They’ll start to respond to light, movement and sounds. They become more mobile and start moving around in their new home.

Stage 2 is also a stage that you probably won’t see unless you are breeding puppies. This is from about 3 to 4 weeks of age where your puppy is fully alert, recognizes his new family, and learns how to be a dog.

Stage 3 is still a very young puppy. From 4-7 weeks of age, your puppy learns social interaction with his/her littermates. He/she starts to learn what time mom will come around to feed them. They will learn what time you will usually come visit. This is the most optimum time of your puppy’s life in learning how to be a dog.

Stage 4 is the stage at which most new puppy owners will get to take their puppies home. This spans 8 weeks to 3 months. This is most likely to be your puppy’s fearful stage. Don’t be surprised if the puppy is easily frightened and may even wet him or herself when startled. They may start to learn some simple, basic commands like sit, come, stay, and down and you can finally start leash training. Your puppy needs human interaction a lot during this stage. Human interaction will help the puppy form essential relationships in how to deal with humans.

Stage 5 is the juvenile stage is 3 months to 4 months. The puppy learns to be more independent and may even ignore commands that he/she has just learned. It is best to reinforce those commands firmly and gently. Play with the puppy frequently! He/she needs your attention and will want to try to play fight with you. You really do not want to encourage play fighting, however. Play fighting will teach your puppy that he/she is allowed to fight with you and this is not acceptable.

Stage 6 is the brat stage of 4-6 months. Your puppy will probably go through a teething period where he/she is going to chew on things. Divert your puppy’s attention by providing appropriate teething toys - things he/she is allowed to chew. He/she may try to buck against your authority but you must retain your authority over the puppy.

Stage 7 transitions your puppy from a puppy into an adult. This spans 6 to 18 months, but some breeds of dog may stay in puppy stage longer. Keep in mind that your puppy is still young, despite how fast he/she is growing up or how big he/she gets. You still need to remember that his/her brain is still developing and you need to have realistic expectations for what your puppy can do or understands. Allow him/her more social interaction if you can - this helps him to maintain good behavior around strangers and other animals.

That’s it!

Extend the life of your new puppy

The best way to keep your puppy healthy is to keep track of your puppy. Good, healthy, nutritious food, clean water, and lots of exercise are the best possible methods to keep your puppy healthy longer.

You need to make sure you choose appropriate, adequate, and healthy food. This does often mean you puppy food will cost more than normal puppy food. However, it is better for your puppy’s future to eat that cost. Keep in mind though that your puppy will actually EAT LESS when he/she has GOOD, NUTRITIOUS food because he/she is not wasting energy on attempting to take nutrition from bad food!

Give your puppy plenty of exercise. Play with him/her, provide him/her with toys, and when he/she is old enough, take him/her for walks on a lease. Not only will you get to spend time with the puppy, you are also helping to both train and teach your puppy about life.

ALWAYS provide clean water for your puppy!!! This may mean you need to dump and replace the water frequently, but this is much healthier for your puppy and he/she will appreciate it!

Housetrain your Puppy

Uh oh!

Now that you have brought your new puppy home…. how do you keep it from making a mess in your house??

It is tempting to get mad. You want to yell at your puppy, throw a fit, rub his or her nose in it, and swat his little behind with a newspaper. However, you should not do any of these things. Ignore the puppy and clean up the mess. The puppy will not connect the punishment or negative behavior with the mess he or she made - especially if it did not JUST recently happen. Clean up the mess and neutralize the odors as best as possible.

If you see the puppy starting to squat down to urinate or go potty on your floor, what should you do???

Don’t panic and don’t freak out on the puppy. Get his or her attention and get him or her to notice you. Get the dog outside as quickly as possible so that he or she will be able to make it outside instead of in your house. Once he/she has gone potty outside, praise him/her for doing a good job!

How can you avoid having your puppy “go” in the house?

Keep in mind that puppies are most likely to need to use the restroom first thing in the morning every day. They will also need to go potty every night before bedtime. They will need to go after playing before eating and after eating, before playing. It will become less frequent as the puppy ages, but consider that your puppy has a little bladder and may need to go fairly frequently.

Puppies will often rarely go potty in places where they have to sleep. If the puppy has a designated create or bin in which he/she sleeps, it is unlikely that the puppy will “go” in there as long as he/she gets regular trips outside to use the restroom.

A puppy of about 2 months old can generally hold his or her bladder in for about 3 hours and a puppy of about 5 months can hold it for about six hours so keep this in mind with your puppy.

Don’t forget to praise!!! When the puppy goes potty in the places and times where he/she is supposed to, reward him/her! Give him/her a treat, play a game, and talk in a positive manner. This helps to reinforce your desires on the puppy so that he/she will want to earn your praise by doing the right thing.